Rotary water sprinkler



Oct. s, 1929-,` Y F; Q @RR 1,730,623

ROTARY WATER SPRINKLER Filed Nov. 18, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l `06f. 8.,1929. F. Q @RR` 1,730,623

ROTARY WATER SPR INKLER Filed Nov.. 18,y 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedOct. -8, 1929 PATENT ori-"ICE UNITED STATES FINGAL C. OBR, OF LOSANGELES, CALIFORNIA ROTARY WATER SPRINKLER Application led November 1.8,1926. Serial No. 149,068.

.vices disclosed in my aforesaid patent and. patent applications as wellas other existing forms of rotary sprlnklers and to provide aIrelatively simple and practical sprinkling device wherein the jet nozzlewill rotate with an intermittent or step by step movement asdistinguished from a cont-inuous rotary movement.

Further objects of my invention are to p rovide a sprinkling device thatis especially tlesigned for use` on lawns, golf courses, orcha-rds,gardens, or wherever a thorough distribution of water is desired over arelatively large area, to provide a sprinkler that will actautomatically to rotate the jet nozzle with au intermittent or stepbystep movement and further, to provide simple and efficient means forcontrolling and regulating the intermittent movement of the jet nozzle.

A further object ot my Ainvention is to utilize the force of thereaction of aportion of the ct of water issuing from the nozzle together with the movement of a weight that is acted upon by centrifugalforce for imparting movement to the jet nozzle and for controlling suchmovement.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consistsincertain novel .features of construction and arrangement of parts thatwill hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevational viewof a comparatively simple form of sprinkling device embodying myinvention. f

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the form of spr1n kler seen in Fig. 1. f

Fig. 3 'is an enlarged cross sect-ion taken on the line 3- 3 of Fig.

.Fig 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig.1.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a modified form of the sprinkler, thesame being provided with main and secondary' jet nozzles.

Fi g.6 is an elevational view of a modified form of the sprinklingdevice wherein the weight ofa body of water is utilized as acounterbala'nce fo'r thev weight carrying arm that is pivotallymountedon the jet-nozzle.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the jet nozzle forming a. part of thesprinkling device illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 8-8 ot' Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view,`partly in section, of a 'further modifiedform of the sprinkling device.

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of La further modified form ofthesprinkling device.

Fig.v 11 isa plan view of the form of sprinkler that vis illustrated inFig. 10. Y

Fig. l2 is a horizontal section taken on the une 12-12 of Fig. 1o.

Fig. 13 is an elevational view of a further modified form oif myimproved sprinkling device.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings and particularly tothe form of sprinkler illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, l0designates an upright pipe that is connected to a source of water underpressure and journaled for rotation inthe upper end of said pipe 10 is ashort tubular member 11 to which is secured the lower end of an upwardlyand outwardly projecting tubel 12. The greater portion of this tube. 12occupies an angle of approximately 12 or 15o relative to a horizontalplane and seated in the outer end of said tube is a jet nozzle 13.

Formed integral with or fixed to the intermediate portion oftube 12 is ahorizontally disposed bearing 14 for a shaft 15, which latter projects aslight distance beyondthe Side of tube 12 andsecured to the projectingend of said shaftas an arm 16 that occupies a position substantiallyparallel with the main body portion of tube 12 and carried by the rearend of said arm 16 is a counterbalancing Weight 17.

The length of that portion of the arm 16 that extends rearwardly frombearing 14 is such that the weight 17 on the rear end of said from thevertical axis of the tubular member 11 and on the opposite side of saidaxis from the tubular arm 12.

Projecting laterally from the forward end of the tube 12 is a pin 18that overlies the forward portion -of arm 16, thus serving as a stop tolimit the upward swinging movement of the forward portion of said arm.`

Arm 16 terminates a short distance in front of the forward end of jetnozzle 13 and secured to the forward end of said arm is a short tubularmember 19, open at both ends and the forward portion of which is curvedupwardly and laterally with respect to the axis of the main body portionof said tube.

The weight of counterbalancing member 17 is slightly greater than theweight of the forward portion of arm 16 and tubular member 19 so that,under normal conditions, or while the sprinkler is at rest and no wateris discharging from the jet nozzle 13, the gravity of thecounterbalancing weight retains the forward portion of arm 16 againststop pin 18 and, when so positioned, the tubular member 19 occupies aposition in front of the jet nozzle 13 with the open rear end 'of saidtubular member 19 intersecting the path of trav el of the jet of waterthat issues from said nozzle when the sprinkler is in operation.

Thus, when the water under pressure from the supply pipe 10 passesthrough tube 12 and discharges through jet nozzle 13, a relatively smallportion of the jet of water will enter tube 19, pass therethrough and bedischarged from the forward end thereof at a lateral and vertical anglerelative to the path of travel of the jet of water issuing from nozzle13. The reactive forces of the jet of water issuing from tubular member19 will act 'to cause tube 12 and parts carried thereby to rotate withthe bearing in the upper end of supply pipe 10 as the axis of rotationand as soon as the tubular arm 12 gains sufficient speed, centrifugalforces acting on counterbalancing weight 17 will cause the same to swingupward and consequently swinging arm 16 on its horizontal axis, the pin15, and thus the tubular member 19 will be moved downward out of thepath of travel of the jet of water issuing from nozzle'13.

Obviously, when such action takes place, the reactive forces of waterpassing through tubular member 19 are eliminated, thereby re- .movingthe forces that rotate arm 12 so that the same tends to slacken speedand come to rest, whereupon the gravity of weight 17 the forward end ofarm 16 is shaped so that the force or impingement of the water passingtherethrough exerts lateral pressure on said tube tending to rotate thetubular arm 12 and whatever force or impingement tends to move thetubular member downwardly is practically counteracted by thecounterbalancing weight 17. Further I have noticed in repeated tests andexperiments that the jet or stream of water that passes through thetubular member 19 tends to act through suction to retain said tubularmember in its normal position, and said tubular member only swingsdownward as a result of centrifugal forces developed as the arm 12starts to rotate.

I have also found in tests and experiments that by providing arelatively long arm that carries the tubular member at its forward endand arranging the fulcrum for said arm on one side of the vertical axisof the swinging arm and the counterbalancing weight on the other side ofsaid axis that the sprinkler operates to much better/advantage thanwhere the;counterbalancing weight is located on the same side of thevertical axisw'ith the fulcrum for the arm.

As a result of the operations ust described, the tubular arm 12 willrotate with an intermittent or step by step movement and which action inrotary sprinklers of the type to which my invention relates has beenfound to be much more'effective than where the jet nozzle carrying armrotates at continuous speed. l i

A particular advantage of my improved sprinkling device is the,simplicity of construction, for through the absence of complicatedparts, the possibility of the device becoming inoperative throughfailure of the parts to function properly is eliminated and a furtheradvantage is the low cost of production, installation and 11p-keep.

A further advantage of my improved construction of sprinkling device isthat the rotary member 11 and tube 12 carried thereby are operated on anangle or on an axis that is several degrees out of the true vertical andthus the sprinkler willI function in an entirely satisfactory mannereven though the supply pipe 10 to which it is connected does not occupya true vertical position and which latter condition very frequentlyexists where the vertical members of the supp'lv pipe extend asubstantial distance above the ground, or where the underground pipes ofthe water supply system are arranged on hillsides.

In the modified formof the sprinkler illustrated in Fig. 5, the upperend of the rotary member 11 carries a pair of oppositely arrangedtubular members 20 and 21, each provided at its outer end with a jetnozzle 'and one of these tubular arms and jet nozzles is preferablylarger than the other, thus forming a main jet nozzle and a secondaryorauxiliary jet nozzle. There such con'- struction is employed, I preferto mount the Weight carrying arm 16*1L on the auxiliary arm 2l In theinodifedlconstruction illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the rotatingtubular member 22 that carries the jet nozzle 23 is provided on its sideopposite from the jet nozzle, with an `arm 24 carrying acounterbalancing weight 25 and an arm 26 is mounted for swingingmovement on a horizontal axis 274 and the latter projecting outwardlyfrom the intermediate portion ot tubular member 22. The rear end of arm26 carries a counterbalaneing weight 28 and on the forward end of saidarm` is a spoon shaped member 29 that normally occupies an inclinedposition immediately adjacent to the side and in front of the forwardend of jet nozzle 23 (see Fig. 7).

The upward swinging movement of the forward portion of arm 26 is limitedby a pin 30 that projects laterally from the upper forward portion oftubular member 22. Fixed to and leading downwardly from the forwardportion of spoon shaped member 29 is a small open ended tube 31 thatcarries a small container or reservoir 32 and the-latter being providednear its upper end with a drain aperture 33.

The weight of counterbalancing member 28 is slightly greater than theweight of member 29 and container` 32 together with the small volume ofwater within said container, the level of which wateris in the samehorizontal plane with drain opening 33.

The operation of this form of sprinkler is y, practically the same asthat of the form of device hereinbefore described, but the provision ofthe container 32 having the drain opening is instrumental in effecting arelatively slow return of the arm 26 to its normal position after it hasbeen moved into a substantially horizontal position by the centrifugalforce developed during the rotation of' tubular member 22 and whichcentrifugal force acts on weight 28. as liereinbefore de- .horizontaldposition.

As soon as member29 moves downward out of the path of travel of the jetof water issuing` from nozzle 23, the excess water Within container 32will start to drain. out through Y opening 33, which draining action iscomparatively slow owing to the' small size of said opening and as theweight at the forward end of the -arm 26 is thus slowly decreased duetothe escape of water,'said arm will slowly return to its normalposition as the preponderance of Weight is slowly transferred to thatportion of the arm to the rear of its axis. i-s

In order to bring about comparatively quick movement of thecounterbalancing weight carrying arm upon' its axis and thereby quicklymoying the spoon shaped member out of the path of travel of the jet ofwater issuing from the et nozzle, I have devised the structureillustrated in Fig. 9 wherein a cylinder 34 s mounted on a horizontalaxis 35 that projects from the intermediate portion of tubular member 36that carries a et nozzle 37 and connected toisaid cylinder 34 andarranged on the opposite side of the axis 35 is a eounterbalancingweight carrying arm. 38. Projecting ,upwardly from the forward portionof cylinder 34 is an inclined spoon shaped member 39, the forwardportion of which normally occupies a position in the path of travel ofthe jet of water issuing from nozzle 37. j

Leading from the forward portion of member 39 to the forward end ofcylinder 34, is a small tube 4D. Arranged for operation iii cylinder 34,is a piston 41 and the rod 42 that is connected to said piston projectsfrom the rear end of said cylinder and said, rod is adapted to engage apost or shoulder 43 that is formed on tubular member 36. Interposedbetween piston 41 and the rear end of cylinder 34, is a relatively lightcoill spring 44.

In the operation of this form of sprinkler, f'

a small portion of the water that impinges against the forward portionof spoon sh member 39 will pass through tube 40 into the forward end ofcylinder 34, thereby forcing` lpiston 4l rearwardly and causing the rear"end ofpiston rod 42 to engage and bear against shoulder 43 and as aresult of this pushing action of the'pistoii rod 42 against the post orshoulder 43 cylinder 34 and parts carried thereby Will be quickly swungin a vertical plane on the horizontal axis 35 and member 39 will bemoved downward out of jet of water issuing the path of travel'of thefrom nozzle 37. j

The form of sprinkler illustrated in Figs. l0, l1 and 12, is designed tooperate with a relatively slow intermittent or step by step movementthroughout a portion of the complete rotation of the jet nozzle carryingarm and to move quickly through the remaining portion of the completerevolution. Such forms of sprinklers are desirable where a semi-circularIportion or area is to be sprinkled immediately adjacent to a fence orboundary line.

In this form of sprinkler, a horizontally disposed tubular arm 45 ismouiited.to rotate on a vertical axis at the upper end of a vertis callydisposed supply pipe 46 and one end of said tubular member is bentupwardly and laterally to a slight degree and said bent end carries ajet nozzle 47. The end o'f tubular member 45 is bent upwardly andlaterally so that the jet of water issuing from the nozzle 447' willproduce a certain degree of reaction which will cause the member 45 torotate on its axis. The end ot the member 45 opposite l'rom the nozzlecarries a small housing 48 from the upper portion of which projects auangularly disposed jet nozzle 49 and loosely arranged within saidhousing is a ball 50, which, when moved upward in the housing under theforce Ot water passing therethrough, will strike the end of a pin orbolt 5l that is seated in the upper portion of said housing, thusproducing sulicient vibration to break or overcome the friction betweenthe member 45 and its vertical bearing.

The vibration developing device just def scribed is practically the sameas the structure that is disclosed in my co-p'ending application tiledJuly 16, 1925, Serial No. 48,975.

Arranged on the upper portion ot supply pipe 46 and adjacent to thevertical bearing for member 45, is a horizontally disposed disk 52having a portion oit' its margin cut away to form an arcuate notch 53.Pivotally mounted on the side of the intermediate portion of member 45is an arm 54 that carries at its outer end a spoon shaped member 55 thatprojects into the path of travel of the jet of water that issues fromnozzle 47 and said arm is supported in its normal position by a pin 56that projects laterally from the outer portion ot member 45. The innerend of arm 54 extends downwardly to a point where it will engage theedge oidisk 52 as the horizontally disposed member 45 is rotated.

Depending from the intermediate portion of member 45 is a lug 57 towhich is pivotally connected an elbow shaped member 58 carrying on thelower end of its vertical arm a weight 59 and the free end of thehorizontal arm of said member 58 normally occupies a position just abovethe edge of disk 52.

In the operation of this forni of the sprinkler, the depending inner end of arm 54, when engaged by the edge of disk 52, swings said arm on itsaxis so that member 55 on the outer end ot said arm occupies a positionabove the nozzle 47 and out of the path of travel or" the jet of waterissuing therefrom. rhe force ot water passing through hollow .member 48.strikes pinor bolt 51, thereby producing suliicient vibration to breakor overcome the friction in the vertical bearing of member 45 and thereaction of the jet of water`v discharging from the nozzle on tnelaterally bent end of member 45 will cause the latter and parts carriedthereby to move with a relatively slow, wavering, step by step movementas long as the depending rear end of arm 54 is in engagement with disk52 and the spoon shaped member 55 is retained out of the path of travelof the jet of Water issuing from nozzle 47.

When the depending end of arm 54 drops into arcuate notch 53 member 55will move downwardly so as to be engaged by the jet of water issuingfrom nozzle 47 and as a result of the. materially increased reactive`forces developed as the jet vor' water strikes said member 55, themember 45 and parts carried thereby are rotated with a relatively quickmovement for approximately half a complete revolution or Jfor a distancecorresponding to the length'in degrees of arcuate notch 53 and to bringthe member 45 .to a stop after this relatively quick movement, I haveprovided the weighted member 58.

During the quick swinging movement of member 45, weight 59 will swingoutward and upward as a result of centrifugal forces and thus thehorizontal arm of member 5S will be moved downward in arcuate notch 53and said horizontal arm will strike against the shoulder at the end ofnotch 53, thereby bringing member 45 to a stop and at this time thedepending rear end of arm 54 is in engagement with the edge ot' disk 52so as to eleva-te the outer end of said arm and the member 55 carriedthereby.

In the modilied construction illustrated in Fig. 13', the arm 60 that ispivotally mounted on the side of the jet nozzle and which carries a tubeor spoon shaped member 61 atits torward end, and which last mentionedmember is adapted to be engaged by the jet of water issuing from thenozzle, has its rear portion, or that portion between its pivot and thecounter-balancing weight 62 at the rear end, formed of wire having acertain amount of resiliency a d said wire adjacent to the pivot pointis provided with a coil 63. During the 4operation of this form ofdevice, the coil G3 permits the counterbalancing weight (S2-to vibrateslightly, which vibration tends to break the friction between the nozzleand its bearing and consequently rendering the operation ot the rotatingnozzle more etliective.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a water sprinkler that isrelatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, veryeilfective in performing the functions for which it is intended and theoperation of which sprinkler is wholly dependent upon forces developedby the flow of water under pressure through the sprinkler and itsnozzle.

It will be understood that minor changes ioo in the size, Jiorm andconstruction of the various parts of my improved water sprinkler may bemade and' substituted Jfor those herein shown and described withoutdepart* ing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is s'etforth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a jet nozzle mounted torotate on a Vertical axis and adapted to discharge a jet of water at anangle relative to its axis of rotation, of al1/arm pivotally mounted onsaid nozzle and adapted to swing in a vertical plane, a member carriedby the 4forward end of said arm and adapted to be engaged by the jet ofwater issuing from the jet nozzle, means for stopping the upwardswinging movement of the forward end of said arm so that said membertends to normally occupya position in the path of travel of the jet ofwater, said member having a portion that is angularly disposed relativeto the path of travel of the jet of water so as to impart lateral thrustto the nozzle when im'- pinged by the jet of water issuing therefrom,the foi-Ce tending to hold the member in the path of travel of the jetof Water being not so great that the centrifugal force produced byrotation of the nozzleis incapable of moving said member out of the pathof the jet of water, and a weight carried by the rear portion of saidpivotally mounted arm and disposed on the opposite side of the verticalaxis of the jet nozzle from the fulcrum of said swinging arm.

2.\V The combinat-ionwitha j et nozzle mounted to rotate on a verticalaxis and adapted to discharge a jet of water at an angle relative to itsaxis of rotation, of a counterbalanced `arm pivotally mounted on saidjet nozzle and adapted to swing in a vertical plane, a tubular membercarried by the forward end ofsaid arm for receiving and delecting aportion of the jet of water that discharges from said nozzle, means forstopping the upward swinging movement of the forward end of said arm sothat said tubular member tends to occupy a position in the path` oftravel of the jet of water, said tubular member having a portion that isangularly disposed relativef'to the path of travel of the jet of waterso .as to impart a lateral thrust to the nozzle when impinged by the jetof Water issuing therefrom, and the force tending to hold the tubularmember in the path of travel of the jet of water being not so great thatthe centrifugal force produced by rotation of the nozzle is incapable ofmoving said tubular member out of the path of travel of said jet.

3. The combination with a jet nozzle mounted to rotate on a verticalaxis and adapted to lar member in the path of travel of the jet of waterbeing not so great that the centrifugal force produced by rotationv ofthe nozzle is incapable of moving said member out of the path of travelof the jet of water.

4. The combination with a jet nozzle mounted to rotate on a verticalaxis and adapted to discharge a jet of water at' an angle relative toits axis of rotation, of aweight carrying arm pivotally mounted on saidjet nozzle with its Weight on the opposite side of the vertical axis ofthe jet nozzle from the fulcrum of said arm, a portion of which arm isformed of resilient material, a deflector carried by the forward end ofsaid arm and adapted Ito be engaged'by the et of water issuing from saidjet nozzle, a stop projecting outwardly from the forward portion of thenozzle for limiting the upward swinging movement of the arm so that thedeflector carried by said arm comes to rest in the path Tof travel ofthe jet of Water issuing from the nozzle, said deflector having alaterally vinclined, portion whereby lateral thrust is imparted to thenozzle when said inclined portion is impinged by the jet of waterissuing from the nozzle and the force tending to hold the deflector inthe path of travel of the jet of water being not so great that thecentrifugal force produced by rotation of the nozzle is incapable ofmoving said deflector out of the path of travel of the jet of water.

In testimony whereof-I aflix my signature.

FINGAL C. OBR.

discharge a jet of water at an angle relative A to its axis of rotation,of a counterb-alanced arm pivotally mounted on said jetnozzleintermediate its ends, a tubular member carried by the forward end ofsaid armand adapted to be engaged by the jet ofwater issuing from saidjet nozzle, means whereby said tubular member is normally held in thepath of travel of the jet of water issuing from said nozzle, saidtubular member having a laterally curved portion whereby lateral thrustis imparted to the nozzle when said curved portion is impinged by thejet oftyvater issuing from the nozzle and the force tending to hold-thetubu-

